PLANT MANAGER-SAW MILL OPERATIONS

Plant Manager – Sawmill Operations (Hands-On Leadership Role)
Location: Kountze, Texas
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The Role
This is a high-ownership, hands-on leadership role running a multi-line sawmill operation.
We are building a high-output, execution-focused mill and require a Plant Manager who operates from the floor—not from an office.
You will own daily production, uptime, yield, raw material flow, and team performance across three production lines. This role is for someone who understands sawmill operations deeply and takes pride in delivering consistent output under real-world operating conditions.
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What You Will Own
1. Production & Throughput
• Deliver consistent daily output across all production lines
• Drive throughput toward and beyond ~40 MBF/day baseline. 60 from July 2026.
• Identify and eliminate bottlenecks in real time
• Optimize sawmill flow from log breakdown to finished goods
2. Floor Leadership
• Lead from the floor—majority of time spent in operations
• Build a disciplined, accountable, performance-driven workforce
• Train and develop sawmill supervisors and operators
• Develop a culture that encourages teamwork, encouragement, training, as well as accountability, recognizing that respect and real authority are earned rather than forced. Avoid turnover where possible.
3. Markets, clients, suppliers
• Understand markets, demand movements, pricing, pivot production to take advantage of highest margin, highest demand products. Avoid dependence on a few large customers.
• Customer Centric. meet client needs, build relationships, ensure repeat as well as scalable product sales.
• Suppliers. Maintain advantageous relationships to ensure best quality service.
4. Equipment Reliability (Sawmill-Specific)
• Ensure high availability of sawmill equipment (carriages, band saws, resaws, edgers, conveyors, chippers)
• Drive preventive maintenance and eliminate repeat failures
• Reduce unplanned downtime and improve response time
5. Yield & Recovery Optimization
• Improve log-to-lumber recovery rates
• Minimize waste, slab loss, and rework
• Optimize cutting patterns and product mix (e.g., rail ties vs boards)
6. Raw Material Sourcing & Log Management
• Oversee log procurement coordination and yard operations
• Work closely with log suppliers to ensure consistent feedstock
• Manage variability in species, diameter, and log quality
• Ensure optimal log utilization under fluctuating supply conditions
7. Managing Operational Uncertainty
• Maintain production despite:
o Variability in log supply and quality
o Equipment breakdowns
o Workforce gaps or skill variability
• Take timely action to keep the mill running daily
8. Safety & Operational Discipline
• Maintain a zero-compromise safety culture in a sawmill environment
• Enforce operational discipline across shifts
9. Yard, Flow & Dispatch
• Ensure efficient log yard flow and finished goods movement
• Eliminate congestion and handling inefficiencies
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Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Measure performance daily on real sawmill operating metrics:
• Analyze throughput, margins, cost trends on a daily or weekly basis. Lead the team to take actions to remedy issue and improve going forward.
Production & Efficiency
• Daily throughput (MBF/day) vs target
• Line utilization (%)
• Bottleneck resolution time
Downtime & Reliability
• Equipment uptime (%)
• Unplanned downtime hours
• Mean time to repair (MTTR)
Yield & Recovery
• Recovery rate (output vs log input)
• Waste/scrap percentage
• Cost per MBF
Raw Material & Log Flow
• Log availability vs production requirements
• Log yard efficiency and feed consistency
• Feedstock cost control
Safety
• Recordable incident rate
• Near-miss reporting and closure
People & Execution
• Workforce productivity per shift
• Retention of key operators
• Supervisor effectiveness
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What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)
• Stable, predictable production at or above target throughput
• Improved recovery rates and reduced waste
• Lower downtime and faster issue resolution
• Strong, disciplined sawmill floor culture
• Effective handling of variability in log supply and operations
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Why This Is a Strong Career Move
This is not a maintenance role in a mature plant—this is a build-and-scale sawmill operation.
• Strong demand across rail ties, pallets, and lumber
• Existing installed capacity with clear upside in output and margins
• Direct exposure to ownership—impact is immediate and visible
• Opportunity to shape operations, log sourcing coordination, and team structure
• Potential to grow into broader operational leadership as the business expands
Compensation starts at USD 10K/month, with meaningful upside tied directly to plant performance.
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What We Are Looking For
Experience (Mandatory)
• 10+ years specifically in sawmill operations
• Proven experience running or leading sawmill production (carriage, band mill, or similar setups)
• Strong hands-on knowledge of log breakdown, cutting patterns, recovery optimization, and sawmill flow
Mindset
• Doer with a strong bias for action
• Comfortable making real-time decisions in a sawmill environment
• Able to manage variability in logs, production, and workforce
• Holds teams accountable and drives measurable results
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Who Should NOT Apply
• Candidates without direct sawmill experience
• Candidates from general manufacturing backgrounds without wood processing experience
• Candidates exploring desk-based roles